A Light in Midwinter by Mirkwoodmaiden
Lindelea · 8 February 2025 · Chapter 7: The Light Shines
Yes! I remember reading "Changes and Acceptances" a few years ago. I had forgotten about the pub scene, I think. I did remember the angsty part, and so I will leave that one on the shelf for a bit longer before re-reading. (((hugs))) I love your stories!
Lady Forlong · 7 February 2025 · Chapter 5: A Heart Shown Love will always Blossom
"Always bewitching children! I can't take you anywhere!" I love the way Legolas and Gimli "get along." ;)
Author's reply
Lady Forlong! I could just hear Orlando Bloom's Legolas and John Rhys-Davies' Gimli in my head when I was writing them in this chapter!! Thanks for writing! :-) MM
Lady Forlong · 7 February 2025 · Chapter 4: Tea and Sympathy...with a little Whiskey added
"Growing up Eomer merited having things thrown at him" LOL Eowyn is so feisty. It has been said that pregnancy is 9 months of permanent PMS. It's a good thing the great healer Elrond isn't there to see his daughter giving whiskey to his 4-year old grandson, even if it is watered down, not to mention a pregnant woman drinking it.
Author's reply
Lady Forlong! Well of course! What else is a brother good for! The Surgeon General's warning has yet to reach Ithilien! So whiskey for everyone! LOL!!! Thanks for writing! :-) MM
PSW · 7 February 2025 · Chapter 7: The Light Shines
What a lovely final chapter! A new start, closure on an old hurt, and ale in the King’s Arms! What more could anyone want from the day? Thx so much for the story of hope and happiness. Errand completed; message delivered. ;-D
Author's reply
PSW! So glad you liked it! It was truly a joy to write!! I love writing stories about Faramir and Eowyn being happy. Thanks for writing! (((hugs))) MM
Lindelea · 6 February 2025 · Chapter 6: Herbs, Hops and a New Life
Labor knew no hierarchy other than its own. This made me chuckle. Ah, Éomer, the Voice of Experience. Both as a father, and having lived through a life-long relationship with Éowyn. Leave it to a hobbit, especially a Pippin-hobbit, to suggest a pub game for distraction. The hobbity banter in the chapter rings true, too, as well as the banter between the Elf and the Dwarf. Beregond! Laughing! And recalling that night! I am delighted. (Do I sense a conspiracy at work here?) “These are not normal times!” were the words of wisdom he imparted in a pub his first night here in Ithilien. Wait. Is this in one of your stories? If not, it should be. The game and aftermath are quite funny. It sounds as if either Faramir exercised caution or his minders were mindful not to get him drunk. It's a boy! (LOL, when I wrote Faramir Took and Goldilocks having their first, I couldn't decide whether to make it a boy or a girl, so I made it both! And that's how they ended up having twins.) Lovely. I am very much finding comfort in the fluff. (The next chapter is numbered "8"; is a chapter missing?)
Author's reply
Lindelea!! LOL! Yup! Women in labor have not a care for niceties!! Eomer knows he must get Faramir through the night as a good brother he aims to do just that. And of course the irrepressible Took would think of a pub game as the perfect vehicle for said distraction! In writing the chapter I could just hear Billy Boyd's Pippin in my head and I just wrote what I heard. ;-) Same with Merry, Gimli, Legolas et al. LOL! The memory of the previous game is a reference to my story "Changes and Acceptances" set at Bag End. I think you would really enjoy it! Everyone is together for Elanor's second birthday. Even Beregond! (not that I am trying to add to your reading list in any way, shape or form...she types innocently) the last few chapters get a bit serious but the first 8 chapters are have a lot of fluffy goodness and Hobbit mischief. And all ends well. Confession time. "Hops in a Barrel" is a drinking game I used to play in my misspent adulthood at University! It was called Sink the Ship but as the Shire is landlocked "Hops in a Barrel" seemed a more apt name. The aftermath is from the late hours after much drinking on many an occasion! LOL. Ah youth!! Chapter 8 is actually chapter 7. I just misnumbered when uploading! Must dash to work! Big (((hugs))) MM
PSW · 6 February 2025 · Chapter 6: Herbs, Hops and a New Life
Leave it to a Hobbit to provide distraction with a drinking game! :-D But glad they were able to do so… So happy for Faramir and Eowyn! <3
Author's reply
PSW! LOL! Well what else would the work-shy and fun loving Pippin suggest!! Faramir needs distraction and Eomer was there to deliver it and Pippin the irrepressible of would suggest a drinking game!! Thanks for writing! (((hugs))) MM
shirebound · 6 February 2025 · Chapter 7: The Light Shines
Your details, such as this one, make your stories so rich: Pippin held the holly wreath for Faramir’s head. Faramir knelt to allow the wreath to be placed. “Thank you, my friend and my brother.” This is a wonderful happily-ever-after.
shirebound · 4 February 2025 · Chapter 6: Herbs, Hops and a New Life
Éowyn sat in their bed, sweaty and clearly exhausted, but she had a radiant smile on her face. She had never looked more beautiful to him. What a loving and joyous event! Thank you for sharing this with us.
Author's reply
Shirebound! Thank you for always reading! I love write stories about Faramir and Eowyn being happy!! It does my heart good! Big (((hugs))) MM
Lindelea · 2 February 2025 · Chapter 5: A Heart Shown Love will always Blossom
Aragorn playing an "educational" game with his son is adorable. Mmmmm... wine-flavored kisses... Legolas and Gimli are perfect! I can't take you anywhere! Ah, Elessar the healer-king. Lovely. And healing for Faramir as well. Very satisfying. And a new brother in Éomer, not to replace Boromir, but to face life side-by-side with Faramir as he goes forward.
Author's reply
Lindelea! Yeah!!! So glad you are enjoying it! I think Faramir and Eomer would form a brotherly bond. Not like Boromir but I like your description, "but to face life side-by-side with Faramir as he goes forward." I think that is well-stated! I tried to make sure that the banter between Legolas and Gimli remains affectionately gruff! LOL! (((hugs)))
Lindelea · 2 February 2025 · Chapter 4: Tea and Sympathy...with a little Whiskey added
Hah! Who knew that dumping wine over your beloved's head was just as calming as drinking the wine? (I feel as if I'm learning so much... LOL) Laughing uproariously with friends... so lovely and healing. I'm glad for all three of them to have each other. Éowyn's anger with Faramir's father is understandable. I hope she can someday come to forgive Denethor and understand the pressures he faced and the unbearable grief that robbed him of a loving relationship with his younger son. (Also, I wonder a little about the alcohol... I mean, I know watered wine was commonplace long ago, and beer was more of a food than an inebriating beverage, but... my midwife told me one of her remedies for staving off premature labor was alcohol! Thus, when I was due, and then overdue, she warned me against drinking if I wanted to get the pregnancy over with sooner than later!)
PSW · 2 February 2025 · Chapter 5: A Heart Shown Love will always Blossom
I’m sure Eowyn and the baby will be fine, what with all the excellent help. It’s nice that this is happening when everyone else is present to share in waiting… Thx for writing!
Author's reply
PSW! It was kind of in with everybody wanted to be present for the birth and the Solstice was coming...time for a family gathering! :-)) Glad you are enjoying! Thanks again for writing! (((hugs))) MM
PSW · 2 February 2025 · Chapter 4: Tea and Sympathy...with a little Whiskey added
It is so good that Eowyn has friends now to share with. It is good for her to get away from Edoras to a place where she can be herself without the encumbrance of all the people who watched her grow up and didn’t know what to think of her…
Lindelea · 2 February 2025 · Chapter 5: A Heart Shown Love will always Blossom
How many chapters is this going to be? It's marked "complete", and so I thought I'd read it all, but a new chapter's been added. My eyes aren't quite focusing yet, so I'm only glancing over the stories to look for new chapters posted, to mentally mark them for later reading. I should really look into getting a screen reader for my laptop. Macbooks may even have a built-in screen-reader function, so it seems I have some homework to do to figure this out. Which I'll have to do when I can get my eyes to focus, LOL! (Happily, I can do some writing on my WIPs anyhow; thank goodness for those long-ago touch-typing lessons! I don't need to see the screen to write, just to edit what I've written at an earlier time.) I forgot to tell you, when we visited the UK over New Year's, I could eat EVERYTHING! Butter, cream, clotted cream, milk, even CHEESE! And baked goods. And legumes (e.g. baked beans as part of a full Irish or English breakfast). And spicy foods. Everything except for fresh tomatoes there. British and Irish foods are not poison to me in the same way many US-produced foods are. And because I wasn't in constant pain, I was able to walk 2-3 miles a day! Lovely countryside and old buildings added spice to the walking, too. Not like walking on the treadmill... (Are we done yet? Yes, talking to me, myself, and I.) It seems there must be something seriously wrong with the US food supply. Here, I have to be careful even when I try to stick to "organic" stuff. Seriously, eating regular food in the UK was cheaper than eating organic food in the US. Spouse is arguing that we should move to the UK permanently just so I can eat like a normal person. (!) It's tempting... but the cats are a complication. Putting them in quarantine for 6 months sounds miserable for them. Along with the idea of moving so far from our kids.
Author's reply
Lindelea! Sorry about the mis-marked story. There will be two more chapters after this one! Having lived in both countries I have to say the quality of life is better in the UK. Glad you had a wonderful time. What part did you say you were in? Unencumbered I would move if I were you or even if I were me! LOL!! :P But kids and cats are major considerations. I think the kids would probably understand about the able-to-eat issues. Not so sure about the cats! (((hugs))) MM
shirebound · 2 February 2025 · Chapter 5: A Heart Shown Love will always Blossom
Faramir went from having no brothers to all of these wonderful ones, tall and small. What a joy.
Author's reply
Shirebound! Exactly! He is slowly realizing that he is not alone! A wonderful realization! Thanks for re-reading! (((hugs))) MM
Lindelea · 1 February 2025 · Chapter 3: Tankards and Live Chickens
I adore Strider and the hobbits all joining together in teasing Faramir! LOL! And Éomer's arrival sounds like perfect timing! (It's lovely to see the kings relaxing and being just "regular people" in this setting.) Foaling! (Is that where Pippin got it?) And "chucking live poultry" – snork! And Fastred's "It has been my honor to serve you" as if Éomer is going to his death... and "guts for garters"! Punnily enough, Lotheriel's mood sounds an awful lot like nesting.
Author's reply
I had great fun writing this chapter! I remember writing most of it in the outside area of my local Panera, snorting gently to myself! Pub scenes just write themselves. Too many hours spent in pubs while at University and beyond in England. Ah, memories... Foaling! What else would a Rohirrim man (out of earshot of his pregnant wife, of course) call being pregnant and about to give birth! Thanks for writing! (((hugs))) MM
Lindelea · 1 February 2025 · Chapter 2: Life's Little Mysteries
How old is Eirik? He's quite the charmer! It was wonderful to see Beregond! He seems to have maintained his sense of humour, something I fell in love with from the first time I laid my eyes on him (in a manner of speaking) as a young teen, when I read about him saying to young Pippin, "An old campaigner, I see." He was so quick to laughter, and bright and curious and welcoming, and his love and devotion to his Captain was inspiring. JRRT had such a way with characters, that they should catch our attention and imagination in such a strong way. The king's little hide-and-seek manoeuvre was amusing. However, poor Faramir and his longing for a child combined with his fear that he doesn't know how to be a loving father. I do hope a wiser head can give him some guidance and peace about the matter.
Author's reply
Lindelea! Eirik is probably around 17 by this time. He has been Faramir's squire for about 5-6 years even before the Ring War. He first met Eowyn when he was 13 and has had a crush on her just as long. He is often completely devoted to Faramir. I thought that you would be happy at Beregond's appearance! And yes Tolkien definitely has a way of drawing characters! Yes! As Arwen says the King of the Reunited kingdoms of Gondor and Arnor still has to behave as a child! LOL! Faramir will work through his fear in later chapters helped by those he loves! I will re-post more chapters! this was one deleted by the Breach of January 2025. (((hugs))) MM
PSW · 31 January 2025 · Chapter 3: Tankards and Live Chickens
They keep calling it ‘foaling’! :-D I’m sure all the ladies are of a sweeter temperament when they’re a bit more comfortable…
Author's reply
PSW! LOL! Of course! How else would Eomer (king of the Horse Lords) referring to it!! The Ladies are a bit sweeter but alcohol is still involved! This is a very boozey story! LOL!! Thanks for writing! will post more chapters! (((hugs))) MM
shirebound · 31 January 2025 · Chapter 2: Life's Little Mysteries
Men, they were about as subtle as wargs on the hunt especially when they thought they were being subtle. What a delightful tale. :)
Author's reply
Shirebound! So happy to hear from you! Yup! This tale is among my favourites. It really just wrote itself!! Thanks for writing! ((hugs)) MM
shirebound · 31 January 2025 · Chapter 1: Hobbits Arive
She was his and was bearing his child. Hooray! And hooray for hobbits!
Author's reply
Yeah! I love writing about happy Faramir and Eowyn!! ((hugs)) Thanks for writing! MM
Lindelea · 30 January 2025 · Chapter 1: Hobbits Arive
I literally jumped in my seat for joy at reading the title of this chapter! *grin* Pippin is still quite young here! He sounds like a mischievous tween, very appropriate. And the "light meal" – leaving me laughing again. Oh that grumpy cook turned suddenly sunny. She loves her lord, and hobbits aren't too shabby, either. “Is it working?” Faramir teased. Wonderful banter, as before. (Did Rosie really say "foal"? Or was that Pippin's translation to suit the recipient of the message?) Faramir is truly wise in picking his battles. And what a good toast: Come let us drink to remember, to forget and to enjoy each others’ company. And more banter, and a little privacy to cap off the scene. Lovely!
Author's reply
Lindelea! Yeah! This story was just so much fun to write. Writing the hobbits is fun, although I don't have your talent at writing them. You excel at that my friend. And yes it was Pippin using the word "Foal" as Eowyn says, not exactly how Rosie would have put it!! LOL! Pippin is still young and irrepressible!! You joyed in this chapter; you will love the next. Where a certain favorite character of yours makes an appearance. And throughout the rest of the I do believe! (((hugs))) MM
PSW · 30 January 2025 · Chapter 2: Life's Little Mysteries
It’s shaping up to be quite the Solstice, with lots of guests and fun and good cheer. Looking forward to it!
Author's reply
PSW! Yup! It is a favourite of mine! Enjoy! (((hugs))) MM
PSW · 30 January 2025 · Chapter 1: Hobbits Arive
Ah, to have the Hobbits on hand for the happy day! That will liven things up even more than they already are… :-D But I’m sure it’s so good to see their friends and know they’ve come all this way to celebrate with them! Fun story - thx for writing!
Author's reply
PSW! And more fun awaits! For some reason a lot of drinking gets done in this story!! The chapters just kinda wrote themselves!! Thanks for writing! (((hugs))) MM
PSW · 30 January 2025 · Chapter 0: A Dream Fulfilled
Wonderful news indeed! Life really is looking up for the two of them… <3
Author's reply
PSW! Yes it is! And about time I say!! (((hugs))) MM
Lady Forlong · 29 January 2025 · Chapter 0: A Dream Fulfilled
It's so cute the way she tells him she's pregnant.
Author's reply
Lady Forlong! Yeah! I really wanted to hint at the playfulness in their relationship!! Thanks for writing! MM
Lindelea · 29 January 2025 · Chapter 0: A Dream Fulfilled
Oh! I love the interplay between these two. ("My husband has just arrived home..." "Silly man to leave such a jewel...") You show a playful side of them that tells a lot about their relationship and comfort in each other. But it is nearly midnight, so I'll have to try and come back tomorrow to read the next chapter. (((hugs)))
Author's reply
Lindelea! Faramir and Eowyn both blossom with their love! Who says Tolkien had no romance in his soul!!! I love writing about them and I imagine this would be their banter!! LOL But I have one thing to say!! GO TO BED! WOMAN!! LOL!! (((hugs))) MM